Nearly 1,100 undergraduate students and graduate students will participate in Commencement ceremonies May 4 in Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.
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At the 10:30 a.m. ceremony, Zhang Dongsheng, president of Binhai College, Nankai University, will deliver the guest address. St. Cloud State has a 2+2 finance degree program with Binhai College and the first graduates of this unique partnership will be among the students graduating. Mary Kate Dougherty ’18 will deliver the student address.
Through the 2+2 partnership, Herberger Business School faculty members teach Chinese students two years of classes in China and two years at St. Cloud State.
Zhang Dongsheng, president of Binhai College, Nankai University, during a visit to the St. Cloud State Confucius Institute.
At the 3 p.m. ceremony, Heidi (Slettedahl) MacPherson ’90, president of The College at Brockport, State University of New York, will deliver the guest address. MacPherson received her bachelor’s degree in English literature from St. Cloud State and has served as president at The College at Brockport since 2015. Sruthi Shankar ’18 will deliver the student address.
Heidi (Slettedahl) MacPherson ’90, president of The College of Brockport, State University of New York.
MacPherson has more than 20 years of experience in higher education as an author, professor and administrator in both the United States and England. Before becoming president, she was provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and earned a doctorate in American literature from the University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Dougherty, Waukesha, Wisconsin, is the daughter of Teri and Phil Dougherty. She is a 2013 graduate of Catholic Memorial High School, Waukesha. She is a magna cum laude graduate of the School of Health and Human Services and earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Shankar is a summa cum laude graduate of the College of Science and Engineering. She earned bachelor’s degrees in biomedical science and biochemistry. She is one of 28 students who’ve earned the 2018 Excellence in Leadership Award, which recognizes academic commitment and leadership experiences.
Of Indian ancestry, Shanka is an immigrant from Singapore who has lived in St. Cloud since 2008. A 2014 graduate of Technical High School, she is the daughter of Vinayalakshui and Narayanan Shankar. She will attend University of Minnesota Medical School this fall.
Commencement participants are among 1,503 students from more than 40 nations earning degrees Spring semester.
The degree-earners include 1,127 undergraduate students, 370 graduate students and six doctoral students.
More about the program
Conferring degrees will be Ashish Vaidya, interim president. Among those presenting the graduating class is Dan Gregory, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs.
Parking information
Parking is free May 4 in campus parking lots and the 4th Avenue Parking Ramp.
Graduates, their guests, faculty and staff are encouraged to use the free St. Cloud Metro Bus shuttle.
Street parking is available, as posted.
Representing faculty is Eddah Mutua, professor, Department of Communication Studies.
Sharing alumni remarks is Terri Mische, executive director, St. Cloud State Alumni Association.
Representing the Minnesota State system is Amanda Fredlund, trustee. She is a student at Pine Technical & Community College, a two-year school in Pine City.
Mayor David Kleis ’89 will bring greetings from the City of St. Cloud.
Wind Ensemble will perform music, including Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance,” Richard Strauss’ “Konigsmarsch” and “March for the Prince of Wales,” by Joseph Haydn.
